• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Mesa Boogie Walkabout Mega-thread Part 10

#2,041
The hunt for a 4ohm 12in Scout cab continues...

Currently an 8ohm 12in on Reverb. At this point Im thinking maybe best to keep even power going to both cabs and run at 2ohm rather than have a power/volume imbalance between an 8ohm 12in and 4ohm 15in.

For those that have run extension cabs, is it necessary to purchase an extra longer cable to run the head (in is own head case, not in the back of the amp slot in the cab) from atop the stack to the bottom and top cabs or does the extension cab come with a lengthy cable?
 
#2,044
NoFiller said:
The hunt for a 4ohm 12in Scout cab continues...

Currently an 8ohm 12in on Reverb. At this point Im thinking maybe best to keep even power going to both cabs and run at 2ohm rather than have a power/volume imbalance between an 8ohm 12in and 4ohm 15in.

For those that have run extension cabs, is it necessary to purchase an extra longer cable to run the head (in is own head case, not in the back of the amp slot in the cab) from atop the stack to the bottom and top cabs or does the extension cab come with a lengthy cable?
Click to expand...

I own the 4ohm Walkabout Scout 12" combo and I just picked up a 4ohm 12" Scout extension cab (used) from G.C. in Houston, TX. The extension cabs do not have an attached cable like the Scout combo. It has one Speakon(with1/4") Input and one Speakon(with1/4") Paralleled Out. Any 2'-3' speaker cable will do.

I am also now running the Walkabout at the elusive 2 ohms. I have only done two gigs so far with the extension cab but I can tell you that the head got no warmer than it did for any other gig I have done the past 7 years just using the combo. This is exactly what this amp needed and is exactly the sound I was hearing in my head. I could just never get it with the one 12" speaker. My P bass has never sounded better.
 
  • Like
Reactions: U4EA, Furious_Man77 and svtb15
#2,045
Had anyone compared running the fx send to a larger power amp vs the di out? The send is after the preamp but, the di signal is after the tube power drive stage before the power amp and should have as much of the character as possible without the mosfet section.
 
Last edited:
#2,046
kringle77 said:
Had anyone compared running the fx send to a larger power amp vs the do out? The send us after the preamp but, the do signal is after the tube power drive stage before the power amp and should have as much of the character as possible without the mosfet section.
Click to expand...
Yes, of course. The response is similar but not by any means identical.
 
#2,050
Definitely something very sweet/special about the walkabout. I particularly liked the 15" combo cabs vs the 12" inch combos. Both sound fantastic, of course, but feel the 15s put out a bit more volume & a wider low-end grunt/punch. Like most any amp, I do think it sounds best working within its limits. I tried pushing a walkabout through a very inefficient Ampeg 810 once (2005ish cab with "dark era" speakers), and it just didn't have the headroom needed to push it. Turning up the amp into the 810, the walkabout started clipping with a lot of sharp high mid/treble frequencies. The clarity of the walkabout's preamp makes it a very lively, cutting, yet warm sounding amp into efficient speakers, though. The 15" combo has plenty of warmth and cut for my tastes!
 
Last edited:
#2,053
Frankie Fender said:
I agree, the Scout 15 hands down over the Scout 12 if you are gigging. I wonder why they discontinued the 15"? IMO it was noticeably superior in girth than the 12 as a bass combo and it is sad some may judge the walkabout on the merits of the 12 having never played through the 15.
Click to expand...

I had the 12 and swapped out to the 15 a few years back. I went with the standalone cab to make moving it a bit easier and put the head into the Mesa head case (Yeah it is heavy but it looks so cool). Although I tend to like 12's better, the 15 Scout just sounds awesome with this amp.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rodl2005 and jwindham
#2,054
Frankie Fender said:
I agree, the Scout 15 hands down over the Scout 12 if you are gigging. I wonder why they discontinued the 15"? IMO it was noticeably superior in girth than the 12 as a bass combo and it is sad some may judge the walkabout on the merits of the 12 having never played through the 15.
Click to expand...

I bet it simply came down to sales. The 15 was such a heavy combo compared to everything else being offered today. I choose the 12 as a compromise between tone and portability.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GregC and jwindham
#2,056
I'd like to find a 4Ω 15" scout cab.... I have the 12".... Love it for when i need small gig. I used it on a run of dates i did last year for a theater pit orchestra gig.. May be the best amp ever.. The treble control is perfect. I had 2 mPulse 600s at separate times trying to get the WA.. In theory it is similar . But in real life it didn't do it for me. I sold them and still have the walkabout...

Its not something you can measure.
People don't get it, until they play it and feel the amp.. It's a feel thing. The WA is a musical instrument in itself.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: GregC, sratas, rodl2005 and 2 others
#2,057
Frankie Fender said:
I agree, the Scout 15 hands down over the Scout 12 if you are gigging. I wonder why they discontinued the 15"? IMO it was noticeably superior in girth than the 12 as a bass combo and it is sad some may judge the walkabout on the merits of the 12 having never played through the 15.
Click to expand...

I'm kinda surprised to hear this. I have two WA Scout 12" cabs, and I LOVE their sound. I had a Mesa road ready 215 cab in the 90s, and my Scout 12" sound WAY better than that thing. I haven't had any exposure to the Scout 15" cabs. However, I certainly wouldn't call the 12" cabs "lacking". I play clubs with them, mic'd to PA, and I get dozens of compliments on my HUGE sound. Maybe it's a "great-to-even-greater" thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jwindham
#2,058
the yeti said:
I've searched these threads, has anyone run the walkabout with a schroeder 1515L? Results?
Click to expand...
I used a Walkabout with a 15+L (4 ohms B&C driver). Perhaps they have a similar voicing?
It actually sounded pretty good, and the Walkabout E.Q. worked on that cab as well as it works on just about any other. I had a hard time adjusting to the midrange character of that Schroeder (being unreasonable, I wanted the efficiency without those mids). I focused too much on how it sounded in my living room instead of how it sounded in rehearsal.
I was most impressed by the pick tone with this setup. I think the big low-end of the Walkabout helped even out what I heard as boxy midrange, and that midrange helped get more volume out of what we often refer to as a modest clean output ability.
For what it's worth, one bandmate (a talented bassist/musician, producer, engineer) strongly preferred the Walkabout/15+L over the Walkabout/Bergantino HS210.
I was in the midst of an unintuitive gear-flipping stage and didn't give the Schroeder much of a chance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: the yeti
#2,060
Worldeeeter said:
I'm kinda surprised to hear this. I have two WA Scout 12" cabs, and I LOVE their sound. I had a Mesa road ready 215 cab in the 90s, and my Scout 12" sound WAY better than that thing. I haven't had any exposure to the Scout 15" cabs. However, I certainly wouldn't call the 12" cabs "lacking". I play clubs with them, mic'd to PA, and I get dozens of compliments on my HUGE sound. Maybe it's a "great-to-even-greater" thing.
Click to expand...

Having switched from a pair of Scout 12's to a single Scout 15 combo, I don't think it's a better/worse thing at all, just different. The Scout 15 (to my ears at least) sounds cleaner at higher volume than the pair of 12's ever did. But to be clear - that's my *preference*. I don't really care that much for hairy/dirty/what-have-you. I believe within the Walkabout community I'm in a minority on that one. :laugh:

I really wanted to try that 212 Mesa combo-cab you had to see if it was any better, but ended up with this Scout 15 and that was IT for me. Exactly what I was looking for tonewise. ;)

*and FWIW, the guy that bought my two Scout 12's thinks they are absolutely the schizzle. We both came out good.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back